X-ray apparatus



May 25 1926o 1,585,890 c. E CAMPBELL X-RAY APPARATUS Filed August 25l 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 'l May 25 was..

C. E. CAMPBELL.

X.RAY APPARATUS Filed August 25l 1921 2 SheetsSheet 2 tained. within a easiest. er..

Patented May Z5, 1926.

UNl'lD STATES CHARLES E. CAMPBELL, OF. LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

X-RAY APPARATUS.

Application filed August 25; 1921.

The present invention relates to X-ray apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus of a. type commonly employed by physicians, surgeons and other practitioners for viewing or taking radiographs of parts of the human .body, and for other purposes. l

1n a copending application, Serial No. $1,692, filed August 12, 1921, there'is disclosed self-contained apparatus in which the X-ray tube and the casing containing the transformer or other source of energy are carried upon a single support. By mounting the casing high enough upon the sup'- port, it will be abovel the heads and arms of persons in the room and the danger of accidents from Contact with high-tension parts will be avoided. The transformer and the tube are caused to occupy always the same relative angular position upon the support. As the transformer and the tube thus rotate together, the conductors connecting their respective terminals rotate with them, so that their relative position remains unchanged.

Among features of the present invention, a regulator for the` X-rays is mounted upon the transformer casing up out of harms way. The regulator may be controlled by the hand of the operator positioned nea-r the tube. An indicator, such as a meter, is mounted upon the casing so as to rotate therewith, thus always presenting its face to the operator positioned near the tube in all positions of adjustment of the latter. These and other features will be understood by a consideration of the present invention as embodied, in its preferred form, in the X-r'ay apparatus hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the upper portion of an upright showing an X-ray generator and a transformerv casing mounted thereon, with parts attached accord-ing to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and l are, respectively, rear, side and front elevations of a portion of the apparatusk shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5" is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a casing for they X-r'ay generator and associated parts.

An X-ray generator,y shown .as an elec-Y troni@ tube 2, and a Source te-Tiers? forth? generator, prateria-bly a transfln 0011 .tentate/is Serial No. 495,395.

pendently of cach other upon a single support, shown as a hollow, movable upright (S. Self-contained apparatus is thereby provided that may be moved from place to place as a unit, where and when desired. The casing 4 is preferably mounted upon the top of the upright, so that persons in the room may not accidentally come into contact with the high-potential parts contained therein.

In order to adapt the apparatus for use upon objects variably positioned within wide limits, the X-ray tubey is adjustable in a pluralityl of directions. It may be adjusted horizontally towards and from the upright along tracks 8. It may be adjusted angularly or rotatably about an axis at right angles to the upright. It may be adjusted vertically by running the tracks 8 up and down along the upright 6. And it may be adjusted angularly about thev upright. by swiveling the tracks thereabout as a unit. The tracks 8 may be locked in vertically and angularly or rotatably adjusted position along and about the upright by a clamp (not shown) that is manually controlled by a hand lever 23.

The terminal 12 at the anode end of the X-ray tube 2 is connected to a point 14 of the casing 4 by a conductor 16. The terminal 1S at the cathode end of the tube is similarly connected to points 20 and 22 by conductors-24 and 26. The point 14 is connected to a terminal of the source of energy t' not shown) contained within the casing t and the points 2O and 22 are connected to other terminals thereof. The conductor 16 may be held separated from the conductors 24 and 26 by spreaders 32 and 34. The spreaders 32 and 34 may be adjusted to hold the conductors nearer together or farther apart than shown in Fig. 1, as desired, but the use. of the spreaders alone will not suilice to prevent crossing of the conductors when the X-ray tube is adjusted rotatably'about and vertically along the` upright, horizontally to and from the upright, and during other adjustments of the` tube. As two of the conductors. are of veryhigh potential, such' crossing may result: rnpturing the insulation covering the conductors, and the causing of a shortA circuit, with possibly serious damage.

Acc,Ording "to the inventionr disclosed in the above-named application, the; X-

` el.' tetateblrediustefl lil() about the uprigl'it. the rotative movement is roinniunieated to the el. The relative -msitions oif the generator and the np; and, thereir ot the conductors also, e 1li-us maintained sul uitially unchanged. lo this end, the ca k is rotatably mountefl upon the top ot the upright 6, ball bearings not shown, lie/ingr interposed. The casing i is provided with a brA clict 38 upon ulrich mounted a pulley et @ne end ot a :flexible cable or chain l2 that is mounted "ver the pulley is 'fastened to adjustably support. the traclfs 8. and the other end is secured to a counterweigfht il within the hollow upright (l. lhe .'o-.niteru'eight approximatelyr balances the ne it oi the tracks S and the par' ied ther by in any position ot "vertical atliustnuent alone' the upright. As the tracksv4 S are angularly or rotatably adjusted hoi ontally about the upriglit t3, the counterweipjht. acting through the cable i1-ill and the bracket 38, causes the lusing et at the top o'lE the upright to become engularly adjusted to correspond, the rotative moreinent oit the tracks 8 becomingv thus comniunicated to the casing.

in this manner, crossing` ot' the conductors '16, 2li and QG is prevented during the rotative adjustment of the tube 2 about the upright G. To prevent their crossingI during` the vvertical., horizontal and other adjustments of the tube, they are not allowed to become slack, but are always drawn taut. This rcsult is attained, according' to the present invention, by providing; spring-controlled ieels L16, 18 and 50, upon which the conductors 1G, 2st and 2G are respectively wound. Tfhen the tracks 8 and the tube carried thereby are lowered, the reels are caused to unwind, in opposition to the action oii their controlling springs. ll'vhen the tracks are raised, the reels wind up again. Similar efl'ects are obtained when the tube 2 moved i way from, or is returned towards, the upri 'ht along' the tracks 8, and during' other adjustments et the tube. rthe reel t6 is detaehably mounted upon the end of a bracket :'32 secured to and extending out on one side, beyond the casinaI 4. rthe reels 11:8 and 50 are detachably mounted upon a plate meniber 3ft that is detaehably secured to the 't'ront ot the casing, as shown in 1.

A. regulator 56 for the iilament-heating current is mounted upon the back of the plate 54, where it may not be accidentally disturbed. rlhe regulator is shown a rheostat having a contact member 58. rlfwo cords, 60 and 62 are secured to opposite ends of the contact members 5%. The cord fill leads over a pulley 64 and do rn into and through a guide 66, positioned along` a track S. The cords 60 and 62 may thus he manipulated by the operator stationed in iront et the tracks S near the tube Q. -llleights (5S and TO are secured to the tree ends ott the cords to maintain the cords taut during the vertical adjustment oit the tracks 8. The weights {it} and TO are ditlerently colored or made otherwise dirti gruishable. so that the operator may be enabled to tell at a glance which cord to pull when he desires to increase or decrease the .filament-heating current. By this arrangement, the regulating means is detachabl,Y located out oi harms way, near the source of energy, but it is controlled by means positioned near the X-ray tube.

A suitable millianuneter 72 indicates the strength ot the current employed. lt is mounted upon the casing el so as to rotate therewith, thus always presenting its l'ace to the operator stationed in liront et' the tube 2 in all posi `ons olf adjustments ot' the latter.

The in\.'ention comprises also a novel tube mounting illustrated in Fig. The tube is carriedin a tube "rising or holder Tt that is adapted to be lirmly secured in place, between clanip blocks 7G and TS of insulating material. The clamp blocks 'T6 may be telescopically adjusted up and down on their supports 8O to Vary the distance of the ltube from the opening` 82. The clamp blocks T8 may be removably clamped in position upon the tube holder 'H- by nuts or the like Sil. A. very convenient tube support is thus provided, permitting ready removal ot the I'-ray tube, and as ready replacement ott the saine, in adjusted position.

Modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art, and all such are considered to be Ycithin the spirit and scope of the invention, and intended to be included within the appended claims.

`What is claimed as new is:

1. X-ray ainjiaratus comprising a support, an X-ray generator rotatably mounted upon the support, a casing rotatably mounted upon the support containing a source of energy :tor the generator, the casing having spaced-apart points to which the source of energy is connected, the generator having spaced-apart tern'iinals, a meter mounted upon the casing. conductors connecting corresponding' terminals of thc generator and said spaced-apart points, the conductors being drawn taut, and means whereby rotative movement ot the generator will be communi.- cated to the casing' and thc meter and crossing oit the conductors will. thereby be prerented.

ffl-ray apparatus comprising an upright, an X-ray generator rotatably mounted upon the upright, a casing rotatably mounted upon the top ot the upright containing a source oi energy for the generator, means for regulating the -rays generated by the generator mounted upon the casing, means positioned near the generator for controlling the regulating means, an indicator for indicating the character of the X-rays generated by the ,generator mounted upon the easing, and means whereby rotative movement ot the generator is communicated to the casing.

S. X-ray apparatus comprising a support, an X-ray generator mounted upon the support, a casing mounted upon the support above the generator containing a source of energy for the generator, the casing having spaced-apart points to which the source or energy is connected7 the generator having spaced-apart terminals, a member mounted upon the easing at one ot said points, conductors connecting corresponding terminals of the generator to the member and to the other of said points, means for regulating the X-rays generated by the generator mounted upon the member, and means for controlling the regulating means positioned near the generator.

4. X-ray apparatus comprising a support, an X-ray generator movably mounted upon the support., a casing mounted upon the support above the generator containing a source of energy for the generator, the easing having spaced-apart points to which the source of energyis connected, the generator having sp aced-apart terminals, a member detachably mounted upon the casing at one of said points, conductors connecting corresponding terminals of the generator to the member and to the other of said points, means for maintaining the conductors taut irrespective of the position of the generator upon the support, said maintaining means for one of the conductors being mounted upon the member, means for regulating the X-rays generated by the generator mounted upon the member, and means for controlling the regulating means positioned near the generator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22 day of August, 1921. y

CHARLES E. CAMPBELL` 

